Emily Carter
Chicken of the woods (Laetiporus sulphureus) is a unique and sought-after mushroom known for its bright colour, distinct flavour, and chicken-like texture. It is often used as a vegetarian meat alternative in recipes. While it is a rewarding find for foragers, it can be difficult to cultivate. This guide will provide instructions on how to collect chicken of the woods spores and grow your own mushrooms.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Common Names | Chicken of the Woods, Chicken of the Forest, Chicken Fungus, Sulfur Shelf, Chicken Mushroom |
| Scientific Name | Laetiporus sulphureus |
| Appearance | Bright orange, yellow, and white; fan-shaped; velvety on top |
| Taste | Similar to chicken |
| Texture | Dense and meaty |
| Spore Color | White |
| Edibility | Edible, but may cause allergic reactions or gastric upset in some individuals |
| Cultivation Difficulty | Difficult; recommended for experienced growers |
| Cultivation Method | Inoculation of logs using steam sterilization, incubation, and colonization in filter patch bags |
| Log Size | Between 8"x 8" and 11"x 11" |
| Log Treatment | Pressure cooking, steaming, or boiling |
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What You'll Learn
- Chicken of the woods identification: bright yellow/orange, fan-shaped, velvety top, tube-like pores
- Chicken of the woods lookalikes: Dyer's polypore, woolly velvet polypore
- Chicken of the woods habitat: hardwood trees, especially oaks and beeches
- Chicken of the woods cultivation: inoculate logs, sterilise, incubate, colonise, bury
- Chicken of the woods consumption: cook thoroughly, try a small amount first
Chicken of the woods identification: bright yellow/orange, fan-shaped, velvety top, tube-like pores
Chicken of the woods, also known as Laetiporus sulphureus, is a type of bracket fungus that can be found on trees, particularly hardwood trees like oak, poplar, and willow. It is easily identified by its bright yellow-orange colour, fan-shaped structure, velvety top, and tube-like pores.
The fungus is comprised of large, multi-layered, fan-shaped shelves, brackets, or clusters that are sulphur-yellow to orange with paler edges that fade with age. As a polypore fungus, it possesses tube-like pores on its underside rather than gills, which help distinguish it from similar-looking but poisonous mushrooms like the Jack O'Lantern Mushroom (Omphalotus olearius). The individual brackets are soft and spongy when young, exuding a yellow liquid if squeezed, and become tougher and more leathery as they age.
The underside of the caps is smooth and features small, whitish to yellowish pores that become yellow as the fungus matures. The caps themselves are fan-shaped with an undulating margin, meaning they have a wavy edge to their cap. The upper surface is velvety and yellow-orange with a zoned margin. The colour of the caps can range from bright whitish-yellow to bright whitish-orange, with concentric zonal colouring that varies by species and maturity of the fungus.
Chicken of the woods is considered easy to identify, but foragers should exercise caution by properly identifying the fungus to avoid confusing it with toxic lookalikes. One such lookalike is the Dyer's polypore (Phaeolus schweinitzii), which may have some orange on the upper surface, especially when young, but turns dark brown as it matures. It also has a velvety texture that chicken of the woods lacks and is found primarily on conifers. Another look-alike is the woolly velvet polypore (Onnia tomentosa), which is generally brown with a white to cream outer margin, but some lighter brown shades may have an orange tint.
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Chicken of the woods lookalikes: Dyer's polypore, woolly velvet polypore
Chicken of the woods (Laetiporus sulphureus) is a unique and sought-after mushroom known for its bright colour, distinct flavour, and chicken-like texture. It is also known as the chicken mushroom or sulfur shelf. While it is a rewarding find for foragers and mushroom enthusiasts, one must exercise caution by properly identifying it to avoid confusing it with toxic lookalikes.
Dyer's Polypore
Dyer's Polypore (Phaeolus schweinitzii), also known as Velvet-top Fungus or Dyer's Mazegill, is a parasitic fungus commonly found in conifer forests worldwide. It has a velvety texture that chicken of the woods lacks. It is primarily found on conifers, and the pores bruise brown when damaged. It has a white spore print. While it is inedible due to its tough, leathery texture when mature, it is not toxic. It is prized for its ability to create vibrant dyes.
Woolly Velvet Polypore
Woolly Velvet Polypore (Onnia tomentosa) is a parasitic butt rot fungus that infects trees. It is generally brown with a white to cream outer margin. The lighter brown shades may have a bit of an orange tint, but the brown colour is a giveaway that this is not chicken of the woods. The underside is also brown, and it primarily grows on conifers, especially spruce. It is smaller and thinner than Dyer's Polypore, and its pore surface is never greenish.
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Chicken of the woods habitat: hardwood trees, especially oaks and beeches
Chicken of the woods is a fungus that grows on hardwood trees, particularly oaks and beeches. It is a parasite that causes brown cubical rot of the heartwood, slowly robbing its host of strength and support until the tree falls. This mushroom is also known as the chicken mushroom or sulfur shelf due to its bright orange colour. It has a velvety, ribbed or wrinkled appearance with alternating bands of orange and yellow, and small pores on its underside.
To collect chicken of the woods spores, you can try finding the mushrooms in the wild and bringing them home to release spores and grow. Chicken of the woods can be found growing on standing and fallen mature oak trees, as well as stumps. They are also found on other hardwood trees such as beech, cherry, pear, poplar, willow, locust, eucalyptus, yew, hemlock, pine, and Douglas fir. The mushroom fruits prolifically from spring to fall, but foragers may have the best luck between September and October as temperatures begin to fall.
When collecting, choose mushrooms that appear fresh and firm. Older mushrooms become tough and riddled with bugs and worms, making them less appealing for consumption. Chicken of the woods tends to return to the same spot year after year, so you can keep collecting from the same tree if you choose.
Alternatively, you can try cultivating chicken of the woods by inoculating hardwood logs, such as oak, with spores. One method involves sterilising the logs, then placing them in a bag to colonise before setting them out in the woods. Another method involves boiling the logs, adding sawdust spawn, and sealing the bag.
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Chicken of the woods cultivation: inoculate logs, sterilise, incubate, colonise, bury
Chicken of the woods (Laetiporus sulphureus) is a unique and sought-after mushroom known for its bright colour, distinct flavour, and chicken-like texture. It is also called the chicken mushroom or sulfur shelf. This fungus is both a parasite of living trees and a saprobe of dead and decaying fallen logs and stumps. It grows on hardwood tree species, such as oak and green ash, and is found in Eastern North America.
To cultivate chicken of the woods, you can follow these steps:
Inoculate logs
To increase the chances of success, it is recommended to sterilise the logs before inoculation. You can sterilise 8" by 8" segments of oak logs using a pressure cooker or steam steriliser. Logs from coniferous trees like pine or spruce are not ideal for the growth of this mushroom. Red oak, bur oak, and white oak are the best options. Choose healthy, living trees or branches.
Sterilise
Sterilisation can be done using a pressure cooker or steam steriliser. Steam sterilisation works best for inoculation. However, boiling is not sufficient for sterilisation, as pressure is also required.
Incubate
After sterilisation, place the inoculated logs in an area at room temperature (55-70°F) to incubate for 2-3 months. The mycelium will spread across the log as a white coating and will eventually turn yellow and then orange as the log is colonised. Incubation can also be done in sealed filter patch bags. Monitor the logs regularly for contamination signs and address any issues promptly.
Colonise
The logs should be incubated until they are completely colonised by the mycelium. This can take a few months. The mycelium will appear as a white, mould-like substance, which is completely normal.
Bury
After colonisation, remove the logs from the bags (if used) and partially bury them in a shaded spot. Partially bury the logs vertically in the soil, leaving the top 1-4 inches exposed, or lay them horizontally on the soil surface and partially bury them in mulch and wood chips. The mushrooms will fruit from the logs and emerge out of the soil. The first fruiting may occur as early as the first August, or it could take up to 2-3 years, depending on the climate and environmental conditions.
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Chicken of the woods consumption: cook thoroughly, try a small amount first
Chicken of the woods (Laetiporus sulphureus) is a unique and sought-after mushroom known for its bright colour, distinct shape, ease of identification, and chicken-like texture and flavour. It is often used as a vegetarian meat alternative in recipes. While it offers numerous culinary possibilities and potential health benefits, foragers should exercise caution by properly identifying it and cooking it thoroughly to avoid confusion with toxic lookalikes and to prevent gastrointestinal issues.
Chicken of the woods is generally considered safe to eat when cooked. However, it is important to cook it thoroughly before consumption, as eating it raw may cause stomach problems or gastrointestinal issues. It can be cooked in various ways, such as sautéing, blanching, baking, or frying, and incorporated into your favourite mushroom recipes, such as mushroom risotto, green bean casserole, or sautéed with butter and garlic as a side dish.
When consuming chicken of the woods for the first time, it is recommended to try only a small amount, as some individuals may experience allergic reactions or gastric upset. To identify an allergic reaction, you can rub some of the mushrooms on your lip, and if it swells up, you are likely allergic to this mushroom. In addition, it is important to be cautious when foraging chicken of the woods, as it can grow on poisonous trees such as the yew, which contains toxic alkaloids. Therefore, specimens collected from yew trees should be carefully inspected, trimmed, and cleaned thoroughly to remove any needles or wood debris.
Chicken of the woods is a polypore fungus, meaning it has tiny tube-like pores on its underside instead of gills. These pores are where the spores are created, and they are typically white in colour, although a microscope may be needed to differentiate between similar species. The fungus grows on and inside trees, causing rot as it breaks down the wood for nutrients. As it ages, it starts to produce mushrooms, known as fruiting, on the outside bark of the tree.
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Frequently asked questions
Chicken of the woods is a difficult mushroom to grow and is generally marketed to experienced growers. To collect its spores, you must first identify the mushroom in the wild. Chicken of the woods is bright orange, sometimes with yellow edges, and grows on hardwood trees. Once you've identified the mushroom, you can collect its spores by taking a spore print. The spores are generally white, but a microscope may be necessary to differentiate between similar species.
Chicken of the woods (Laetiporus sulphureus) is a visually striking mushroom known for its vibrant yellow and orange colours and chicken-like taste and texture. It is often described as looking like a pile of orange and yellow pancakes exploding out of the side of a tree. It usually fruits in large amounts and has a porous fertile surface, which is velvety on top.
The underside of chicken of the woods tends to be yellow to cream and has very fine pores. While it may appear smooth at first, it does have pores. Younger chicken of the woods tend to have a softer, more rubbery texture. As they get older, they get a tough, woody texture.
